Exam 34: the Biosphere: an Introduction to Earths Diverse Environments

After reading the paragraph below, answer the questions that follow. California condors, large, predatory birds that were previously on the edge of extinction, have benefited from a program that raises birds in captivity and then releases them into the wild. The reintroduction program, however, is having variable success. -Which of the following could best explain how condor reproduction along the coast is being harmed by DDT in the condors' foods now, even though DDT was banned in 1972?

In terms of global air circulation, the tropics are a region where air

The kind of vegetation in a tropical rain forest is generally determined by the amount of

After reading the paragraph below, answer the questions that follow. California condors, large, predatory birds that were previously on the edge of extinction, have benefited from a program that raises birds in captivity and then releases them into the wild. The reintroduction program, however, is having variable success. -Which of the following would have been a surprise to wildlife biologists who, after successfully breeding and raising condors, were reintroducing the condors to the wild following a precipitous decline in their number in the 1970s? (In 1982 there were only 19 condors in the wild.)

After reading the paragraph below, answer the questions that follow. The largest estuary in the United States is the Chesapeake Bay, which extends through six states, including Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. The bay is one of the most productive natural areas in the world. It is home to thousands of plants and animals, including many commercially important species. The water of the bay is relatively shallow. Many areas are no more than 10 feet deep, with an average depth of 30 feet. Light penetrates the shallow water and supports the submerged plants that provide food and shelter for the many species living in the bay ecosystem. However, like many estuaries, the bay receives large amounts of fertilizer runoff from farms, lawns, and wastewater treatment facilities. -The area around the bay where grasses and snails are found in abundance is a

The major cause of tropical deforestation is

Factors that help to perpetuate temperate grasslands, such as the American prairies, and prevent them from becoming woodlands include

What is the primary reason that a hot spring will kill a fish placed in it but encourage the growth of certain bacteria?

Under the conditions known as El Niño, the inorganic nutrient content of the seawater off the coast of Peru declines to very low levels. What effect will this likely have on marine life in the area?

All of Earth that is inhabited by life is called the

Which of the following has the greatest impact on the global water cycle?

A sperm whale in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean is in which oceanic zone?

Which of the following statements about biomes, the major terrestrial ecosystems covering the Earth, is true?

The immediate results of the widespread use of pesticides and fertilizers included ________, but long-term results included ________.

Which ocean zone describes the interface between ocean and land?

In many dense forests, plants living near the ground level engage in intense competition for

Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring deals with the

Which of the following statements about tropical forests is true?

The pronghorn antelope of the United States and the saiga antelope of the central Asian steppes live in similar habitats and have similar adaptations. Which of the following features would you be surprised to find in a saiga antelope?

Which of the following tundra features can be found at the top of the Andes Mountains in Ecuador?